SPL Discussion Thread

[superfrank]

Is it not more than a little obvious by now that that is not the kind of discussion we want in this thread?

Fair enough but people like him don't help our public image.

[geysir]

Why don't you take comments and your 'disgraced feelings' over to the Keane discussion in the World football forum.

[Poor Student]

Fair enough but people like him don't help our public image.

Fair enough what? Are you incapable of taking the hint?

[geysir]

I have to say, I was surprised by Celtics latest signing, I didn't think it would actually happen that Roy would think to fill up the family bus and move all to Glasgow.
Strachan looked a happy manager at the news conference and made a point of mentioning that the team were also happy. I would like to know what the financial deal was.
Any ideas where Roy will play? beside Bobo Balde? it's possible. Replacing Balde?
A direct swop for Neil Lennon? with Lennon as team captain it's a tough one, it is a no brainer that Roy is a better footballer but inch for inch Lennon's not bad and playing well.
Its possible that Petrov may be rested more, he has been playing non stop for years for club and country.

[Junior]

I would like to know what the financial deal was.

reported £45k per week a 50% pay cut. Though this is still well in excess of the clubs wage structure and cap, which leads me to believe that Desmond is funding this in part, though this was refuted at the press conference.

Any ideas where Roy will play? beside Bobo Balde? it's possible. Replacing Balde? A direct swop for Neil Lennon? with Lennon as team captain it's a tough one, it is a no brainer that Roy is a better footballer but inch for inch Lennon's not bad and playing well.
Its possible that Petrov may be rested more, he has been playing non stop for years for club and country.

Balde (and Camara I think) will be off to the Africa Nations shortly - so a defensive roll is a real possibility. Although Du Wei, the chinese lad has been biding his time in the reserves and will be looking to take his chance as well.

Lennon is probably having his best season with the club & as captain will be looking to retain his place, I can see the two playing in the same side with a lone striker such as Hartson being a possibility. Also, Lennon is a bright lad, he knows Keanes quality, I think the two of them will certainly share the roll of holding midfielfer.

You're right about Petrov, he could do with a break - looked tired against Hibs last week. As long as we get him tied up on a new deal pronto!! This would also leave a vacant midfield spot.

We need to remember, that on Saturday, Sutton, Thompson & Beattie all never featured whatsoever - they'll be wanting some action as well???

Some difficult decisions ahead for the wee ginger!!!

[eirebhoy]

3 at the back just might be the way to go. There's too many strikers to just play 1 up front (I'm really liking Zurawski) and its difficult to drop the captain. There might be a lack of width though with Nakamura and McGeady drifting inside.

[Junior]

There's too many strikers to just play 1 up front (I'm really liking Zurawski)

Not sure whats impressing you? He started slowly then scored a few and started to look a little more confident. He's hardly kicked a ball in 6 weeks. Im confident he'll come good - but I certainly haven't seen enough yet to get too excited. 3-5-2 could be the way forward.

[Roo69]

Good to see Keano causing trouble already

[eirebhoy]

Not sure whats impressing you? He started slowly then scored a few and started to look a little more confident.

It was obvious that Zurawski was suffering from confidence at the start of his career at Celtic. Confidence can turn a world class player into an extremely average player. No matter how good my football ability was I don't think I'd have ever made it at the top because confidence affects me so much. All he needed was a goal to get going. He got that goal after 5 minutes against Dunfermline and what a performance he put in for the rest of the match, scoring another and superbly setting up Naka. Top class. He was again the best player on the pitch in the following match against Aberdeen. He scored 5 goals in 5 games before injury and was playing very well.

He scored 7 goals in 10 qualifiers for Poland and is regarded by many as their best player, certainly in their top 2 best players. He'll definitely have be have full confidence to play well (like, say, Forlan) but when he has been full of confidence he has been superb.

[Junior]

It was obvious that Zurawski was suffering from confidence at the start of his career at Celtic. Confidence can turn a world class player into an extremely average player. No matter how good my football ability was I don't think I'd have ever made it at the top because confidence affects me so much. All he needed was a goal to get going. He got that goal after 5 minutes against Dunfermline and what a performance he put in for the rest of the match, scoring another and superbly setting up Naka. Top class. He was again the best player on the pitch in the following match against Aberdeen. He scored 5 goals in 5 games before injury and was playing very well.

He scored 7 goals in 10 qualifiers for Poland and is regarded by many as their best player, certainly in their top 2 best players. He'll definitely have be have full confidence to play well (like, say, Forlan) but when he has been full of confidence he has been superb.

Don't disagree with any of that - just haven't seen enough of it in the hoops yet.

[Pat O' Banton]

watched most of the game again last night on CelticTV - Its fair to say that Hartson was a real handful, he gave away some free's but won a fair few as well. Basically your centre backs didn't get a minutes peace. Whilst his second, err shall we say Ian Rush'esque the header that came off the bar would have been a peach for his hatrick.

No doubt for my MOM Hibs could really handle his anything knocked towards him. I haven't rated Harston that highly for a long time but he will always throw in a performance like Saturday's to remind you exactly what he does well. Thought that Lennon was good in midfield we caused alot of problems on the wing, however Strachan's refusla to use Agathe gets more confusing by the game, the amount of times that Nakamura got the ball and just needed someone to overlap is getting silly, Telfer is solid but thats about the heap.

[geysir]

I don't think there is any sign of life in Agathe, if he is not injured must have a collapse of form/confidence/pride in that how could he let a journeyman like Telfer take his place.
I was reading an interesting artice here in Iceland about 2 young local lads who are at Celtic. My son who follows these things very closely reckons that one of them, Theodor Bjarnasson, is carrying the dreams of a generation, ie if he does not make it into the first team then what hope is there for the rest.

[eirebhoy]

I follow the reserve and U19 reports on various sites and from what I've been reading, Agathe doesn't deserve to be in the team. He's a quality right back but he's putting in no effort in the reserves. Maybe its because he's been played on the wing. The reception he got when he came back from injury a couple of months ago was fantastic. Its a pity Irvine got injured when he did as Telfer probably wouldn't have been signed if Irvine didn't get injured.

Bjarnasson has apparantly been playing very, very well. A lad that goes to most games says half the current U19 team have a chance of being in the first team squad within the next year, they're that good. Bjarnasson is a box to box player and him and Ferry run most matches for the U19s. The other Icelandic lad (Finboggason - sp?) has been injured since the summer. He's a striker and was scoring regularly for the U19s last season.

[geysir]

(Finboggason - sp?)

Close enough,
Kjartan Finnbogason

thanks for the report

[sligoman]

Just to remind ye, that programme about Brother Walfrid is on the 22nd of this month(next Thursday night) on TG4.

[sligoman]

Rangers bet Hearts yesterday and Celtic only managed a draw with Inverness today.

TOP 5:
Celtic 19 14 3 2 48 17 45
Hearts 19 12 5 2 34 13 41
Hibernian 19 12 1 6 34 23 37
Rangers 19 8 6 5 30 22 30
Kilmarnock 19 8 5 6 35 30 29

[sligoman]

Former Republic of Ireland manager Jack Charlton insists Roy Keane is only at Celtic because the 34-year-old midfielder is past his best and believes Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson is of the same mind.

The Parkhead club pulled off a remarkable signing coup to capture Keane in face of interest from several Barclays Premiership clubs and Spanish giants Real Madrid.

He said: 'I think he has made the right decision as the SPL will not be so demanding as the English Premiership or a move to Real Madrid.'

Charlton continued: 'Let's be honest, Roy is past his best, though he still has a huge amount to offer in his new 18-month contract under Gordon Strachan.

'It won't be as hectic playing club games in Scotland and Roy will find it easier to push forward from midfield.

'I have always admired Alex Ferguson as a manager - his record at Old Trafford says it all. I am convinced that Keane would never have been allowed to leave Manchester United if the manager felt that the player could still make a major contribution in bringing back the glory days.'

From Aertel.

[sligoman]

Former Celtic striker Charlie Nicholas believes Roy Keane may have been lined up as a future manager at Parkhead.

The 34-year-old midfielder joined the Scottish giants after ending his long association with Manchester United, and will make his debut for the Bhoys in the new year.

Nicholas said: 'They will not worry about systems or how certain players have to adapt because Roy has arrived.

'I see no problem for Roy, but I just wonder overall if this is a move to possibly look long-term, or possibly getting Roy to become manager.'

From Aertel.

[Hibs4Ever]

Rangers bet Hearts yesterday and Celtic only managed a draw with Inverness today.

TOP 5:
Celtic 19 14 3 2 48 17 45
Hearts 19 12 5 2 34 13 41
Hibernian 19 12 1 6 34 23 37
Rangers 19 8 6 5 30 22 30
Kilmarnock 19 8 5 6 35 30 29

And Hibs beat Motherwell Even though the ref triedhis best to make sure it didn't happen.

SUPER DEREK RIORDAN

[Plastic Paddy]

SUPER DEREK RIORDAN

Will you still call him "super" when he joins Celtic reserves in January?

PP